Both major political parties have embraced a version of the cynical Hollywood tactic of putting African Americans in nominal film roles to help lure blacks to movie theaters and certain TV programs. The increase in the numbers of African Americans running for statewide office is part of a calculated strategy by Republicans to woo some highly-selected African-American voters in key states. In response, Democrats are scurrying to hold onto their lopsided advantage over Republicans with African Americans at the polls.
It is important to emphasize that the GOP’s interest in black voters is highly selective and entirely self-serving. While it panders to affluent, conservative blacks, and social conservatives on the fence, it conducts a concerted campaign against the poor, ill and marginal. Republican-dominated legislatures have moved aggressively nationwide to restrict these voters by enacting onerous laws, like voter IDs, that hamper their participation.
The GOP has a far easier task than the Democrats, as it needs only a tiny shift in African-American voter loyalty to make a difference. Such a swing turned out to be critical in President Bush’s controversial but critical win in Ohio in 2004. A reported 16 percent of African Americans voted for the president in Ohio, a significant difference over the 11 percent of African Americans who supported the incumbent nationwide.
Meanwhile, Democrats simply cannot win in states like Missouri without overwhelming African-American support.
African-American politicians have long complained that the Democrats have taken them and African-American voters for granted – that they have ignored our special concerns. Yet the takeaway from this heightened interest in the black voter should not simply be the acceptance of African Americans running for statewide offices as an ultimate goal. Our grand strategy should be comprehensive, more than a tactic and ensure that our larger interests are being dealt with more effectively.
The main objective of our politics should be to serve our community’s vital interests. It has long been clear that the African-American community itself needs to do a better job of mobilizing its voters just as the Christian Right has done so effectively. The Moral Majority and its spawn have made themselves an essential part of the GOP’s base and increased their clout with Republican politicians and policy makers, with historic – and largely disastrous – results.
The political process will concede very little to the moral authority or fairness of petitioners if they lack formidable political muscle. Coalitions with other special interest groups will serve us proportionate to our political strength, not the justice of our cause.
Basically, we need to regard political parties as little more than expedients to help achieve our community’s shared goals. They are tools, not saviors; methods of transit, not destinations in themselves. This means that while we must continue to press for greater equity based on our loyalty and our numbers, we must also absorb a more important lesson. We must build well-organized, sustainable structures at the community level that will bring, over time, thousands more enlightened African Americans to the polls.